Overhead door supporting mechanism



All@ 9 1955 G. c. HOLMES 2,714,742

OVERHEAD DOOR SUPPORTING MECHANISM Filed OCb. 27, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /N VEN TOR WM5 WM' ATTORNEYS United States Patent O VERHEAD DOOR SUPPORTING MECHANISM Gene C. Holmes, Los Angeles, Calif. Application October 27, 1949, Serial No. 123,812

'7 Claims. (Cl. 16-166) This invention relates to overhead doors adapted particularly for installation in garages and the like.

Garage doors of the overhead type are usually carried upon pivots or tracks mounted to the door frame or adjacent supporting structure of the garage so as to permit movement of the door from a vertical closed position to a substantially horizontal open position. In the interests of economy of construction, it is often desirable that the ceiling of garages be as low as possible, with the height of the garage very little, if any, greater than the essential height of the door opening. However, with many conventional structures for supporting overhead doors through their movement from closed to open positions, the upper edge of the door is swung in a vertical arc within the garage extending above the top of the door frame, thus requiring greater ceiling height merely to accommodate the door. In an effort to minimize this result or to shorten the length of the arc of movement of the upper edge of the door, which extends above the top of the frame, apparatus has been devised which swings the lower edge of the door, when moving from closed to open position, forwardly of the frame to a greater extent thus in effect developing a greater portion of the movement exteriorly of the garage. In accordance with the operation of most equipment of the jamb-hung type, the lower portion of the door projects from the garage opening when in a completely open position. Not only is the door unsightly when so extended, in that it disrupts the normal contour of the building, but part of the door is thus exposedto the weather while the remainder thereof is more or less protected within the garage. Consequently, part of the door is subjected to excessive warping while the nish of the door is subjected to uneven discoloration.

It is, therefore, a principal object of the present in vention to provide mechanism for supporting and guiding an overhead door throughout the range of its movement from a substantially vertical closed position to a horizontal open position in which the door is entirely within the garage, whereby the upper edge of the door is confined throughout its range of movement within a zone substantially level with or below the top of the door frame.

More specilically, an object hereof is the provision of an overhead door supporting and guiding mechanism comprising an arm pivoted between a stationary mounting, disposed laterally of the door, and the lower portion of the door, to afford primary support for the latter and to determine the arc of movement of the lower edge of the door, in combination with an auxiliary arm pivotally associated with the primary support for guiding the upper edge of the door from its rearmost position while closed, through a substantially horizontal path coinciding with the top of the door frame.

Another object is to provide a pair of door supporting arms pivoted together with ends thereof pivoted to upper and lower portions respectively of the door to dene with the latter a triangular formation wherein one of the ICS arms is slidably associated with the door to permit collapse of the triangle incident to movement of the arms toward parallel relationship, expansion of the triangle being effective to project the door from the point of pivotal connection between the arms.

Still another object is the provision, in apparatus last referred to, of an extension of one of the arms, in combination with means for pivotally connecting said extension to a stationary mounting laterally of the door so as to swing the triangularly related arm section and door througha vertical arc extending from a position forwardly of the point of pivoting of the assembly to the stationary mounting to a position above the mounting pivot.

Another and related object is the provision of an arcuate guide for an intermediate portion of one of the arm sections composing the triangle to compel progressive extension of the triangle as the door is swung to its uppermost position, and contraction of the triangle as the door moves toward closed position so as to elevate the door relative to the mounting pivot during opening movement and correspondingly move the door more nearly adjacent the pivot during closing; movement.

Still another object is to provide a stop carried by one of the arms comprising the doorsupporting mechanism to limit contraction of the latter assembly at the end of the closing movement of the door.

Other objects and salient features of my invention such, for example, as economy of manufacture, ease of installation, the provision of a single mounting pivot at each side of the door frame, elimination of horizontal tracks and of the means normally required for the suspension thereof, adaptability to placement of the pivots closely adjacent the door frame, as well as the provision of resilient means for counterbalancing the weight of the door, and the location of such means adjacent the door frame, will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon an examination of the following description read in the light of the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig, l is a vertical section through an overhead door structure embodying my invention, illustrating the mechanism, for supporting one side of the door, shown in open position;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 1 illustrating the same parts in their relative positions with the door disposed in a halfeclosed position;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 1 with the door completely closed;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary, sectional View takenon line 4-4 of Fig. l through the respective guide channels for the auxiliary arm.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the numerals of which indicate similar parts throughout the several views, 5 designates each of the rafters, and 6 the ceiling of a garage, the doorway of which is defined by a frame 7 comprising the jamb and top member 9. The garage door 10 is conventional in construction and may be composed of any material commonly employed for such purposes. The door is of a width slightly less than the width of the opening in the frame '7 and of a height slightly greater than the height of the opening. When closed, the door 10 assumes a vertical position flush with a plane coinciding with the back of the frame with its upper edge lapping the upper horizontal portion of the frame. j

The mechanism for supporting and guiding the door throughout the range of its movement from open position (Fig. l) to closed position (Fig. 3) is constructed in left and right hand sets adapted to be mounted to the respective sides of the door frame 7. For convenience in illustration, only one set of the mechanism is depicted in the drawings, it being understood that the 3 opposite lateral edge of the door is equipped with functionally identical and complementary mechanism. The supporting apparatus foreach side of the door comprises an angle iron 11 sc'r'ed ,inV a vertical position by bolts, screws or the like t thebaek-of the janib 8 or 'side of the door frame 7 intermediate the iioor 12 and top 9 f the frame. A lateral mounting plate 13 is secured to the angle iron ll'so' as to project rearwardly into the garage at a level approximately equi-distant from the oor 12 and rafters 5 orceiling 6; A primary supporting arm 1`4 is pivoted asl at 15 to the plate 13 rearwardly but closely adjacent the position which the door is to occupy when closed.r Thefsections of the arm 14 at op'- posite sides of the pivot 15 are unequal in length, the longer section 16being preferably of a length less by the thickness of the door plus about one-half inch for clearance, than the distance between the level of the pivot [Sand the top of the door frame.

The opposite or outer end of section 16 of the arm 14 is pivotally connected to a bracket 17, 'secured rigidly to the back of the lower portion o'f the door, it being understood that while the mounting plate 13 is laterally offset from the door opening, the arm 14 is projected into the opening into alignment with the door by the pivot 15.

The shorter section 18 of the arm 14 is' pivotally engagedvby one end of a helical spring 19, the opposite end of which is similarly attached to a pin 20 projecting laterally from a second mounting plate 21 secured to the lower end of the angle iron 11. The normal contraction of the spring 19 tends to draw the shorter 'sec tion 18 of the arm 14 downwardly to a substantially vertical position below the pivot with the opposite end (section 16) of the arm extending upwardly, urging the door to an open position as seen in Fig. l. When the door is closed the spring 19 is fully extended but as it lies closely adjacent the arm 14 (Fig. 3) its contractive urge will only partially compensate for thc weight of the door, whereby the excess weight will cause the door to lremain closed.

The upper portion of the door is supported and guided by an auxiliary arm 22 pivoted at one end as at 23 to the arm 14 intermediate of the ends of section 16 of the latter arm. The opposite end of the auxiliary arm 22 ispivotally and slidably retained within a guide assembly secured to the inside of the door in parallel relationship with the adjacent lateral edge of the door. The guide assembly (Fig.V 4) comprises an angle iron 24 secured by screws or the like` adjacent and parallel to the lateral edge of the door. To the side of the angle iron 24 the back of a straight channel 25 is secured by welding orthe like so as to place the open side of the channel adjacent the edge of the door. The edges 26 of the channel are turned inwardly to confine, within the channel, a roller 27 rotatably mounted upon a pin' 28 secured in the end of the auxiliary arm 22 whereby the arm is pivoted freely within the guid'e25 and is movable relative to the door in a direction parallel with the adjacent edge of theL latter. l u y `Intermediate the ends of the auxiliary ar'm 22 is a pin 29 which extends laterally from the side of the arm in audirection opposite to that to which the roller pin 28 projects, so as to extend through the vertical plane of the edge of the door and into the plane of the side of the door frame 7. A roller 30, rotatably carried on the end of pin 29, is confined within an arcuate guide channel 31 disposed in the plane of the angle iron 11 and secured at its uppermost end to a horizontal angle iron 32 parallel to the lateral edge of the door when the latter is in itsuppermostposition and secured at its forward end tothe upper end of the angle iron 11. The guide channel 31 is identical to the channel 25 in cross-section but extends from its point of connection to the angle iron 32 forwardly in a short horizontal end section 37 and thence arcuately and downwardly. A diagonal brace 33 comprising a bar is secured to the respective angle irons 11 and 32 across the angle formed between the latter. An intermediate reach of the brace is secured by welding or the like to an intermediate section of the arcuate guide 31, thus to reinforce the position of both the angle iron 32 and the guide 31. A lower section or" the guide 31 is similarly attached to an intermediate portion of the vertical angle iron 11. VThe guide thus extends from its uppermost horizontal end section, which is coincident with the rearward end of the horizontal angle iron 32, arcuately forwardy and downward toa point slightly above the mounting plate 13 and adjacent the angle iron 11 and thence curves rearwardly overlying said plate 13. Forming a continuous Vextension of the" guide 31 is a second guide section 34 which is mounted upon the plate 13 and detines an arc having its center on the pivot 15. lt will thus be observed that moving the door from its uppermost position shown in Fig. l to the closed position of 3, the roller 30 follows the guide 31, the arc of which s of a progressively shorter radius from its upper to its lower end.

It will also be noted that the auxiliary arm 22, the reacl' 35 of arm 14, comprising that part of the latter arm extending between the pivot 23 and the door, and the portion of the door intermediate the brackets 17 and H the roller 27 define a triangle which is adapted to be swung about the pivot 15 in an arc of approximately 90, in 'effecting the opening and closing movements of the door. With the door open, the triangle is displaced from the pivot 15 by the distance between the latter pivot and the pivot 23, whereas at' the end of the closing movement of the door the triangle is collapsed and swung into close proximity with the pivot 15. While the forward edge of the door swings in 'an arc of substantially constant radius a's`"deterrnined by the' length of the section 16 of the arm 14, the rearward edge follows a path established by the contour ofthe guide'31. ,x Y v The shape of the guide 31 may be varied to meet the specific requirements, but that in order to confine substantially the entire movement of the door below the level of the ltop of the frame 7 it is necessary that the guide 31 decline from its upper end to an extent sufficient to at least progressively compensate for the upward tilt of the rearward edge of the door during closing movement incident to the lowering of the forward edge of the door, as the primary arm`1'4 is swun'gwdownwardly, the rearward end of the auxiliary arm 22 functioning as a fulcrum.

As thev door moves' toward closed position, the roller 27 moves rearwardly yinthe straight guide 25 so as to alm'ozs't completely collapse the triangle coincident with the movement `of the roller 30 into the lower end of the arcuate channel 31A During the lat'terpart of the `movement last'rreferred to', the roller 3i) moves downwardly into a substantially upright portion'y of the arcuatekguide 31 so as to expedite lthe downward movement ofthe upper end of the door relative to the movement of the lower part of the door, 'and positions' the upper end of the ydoor below the level of the top of frame 7. Continued closing movement olf the door moves the roller 30 from the arcuate guide 31 into the guide extension' 34 through which it travels, in an arc having a fixed center on the pivot 15. Accordingly, as the upper 'edge of the door is rearward of theA pivot 15 at the beginning of this nalrclosing movement, the upper edge ofthe door, also moving in an arc having a center on they pivot 15, swings across the latter pivot and thence slightly down to a position 'against the top of the doorl frame 7, Contact being made 'therebetween coincident with the abutment of the lower edge of the door upon .the floor 1'2. While primary support is aftorded thelower part of the door, the upper partis eiectively supported'V throughout its range of movement by the' auxiliary arm 22. l Y y 36 indicates` a stop comprising a lug carried by the arr'n14. In operation,- the lug 3'6 abuts against the backV of the door coincidentallywith' theV movement of the rollerw30 from the arcuate guide 31 into the extension 34 A in.

so as to limit contraction of the triangle, above referred to, and coact with the guide 31 and extension 34 in compelling further closing movement of the door to occur about the pivot 15. Movement of the door to fully opened position is limited by the closed end 38 of th". horizontal section 37 of the arcuate guide 31.

With the spring mounting 21 attached to the angle iron 11, the door mounting mechanism is not only compact but obviates the necessity for a mounting attached to the side or other structural members of the garage, all mechanism being hung from the door frame.

The single embodiment of my invention lends itself to modification in various ways, as for example, in size, design, shape, number and proportion of the various parts, and more specifically in the contour of the arc of the guide 31, in the disposition of the pivot 23 and loca-` tion of the guide 25 for the upper end of the auxiliary arm 22 upon the back of the door, and in the substitution of any conventional apparatus for mounting the guided and guiding elements of the door-supporting mechanism, for the angle iron frame specifically illustrated, without departing from the spirit of my invention as defined by the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an overhead door supporting mechanism for at tachment to a door frame, a stationary mounting, an arm, means to pivot said arm intermediate its ends to said mounting, means to pivot one end of said arm to the lower portion of the door, a stationary bracket located below the level of said stationary mounting, resilient means interposed between the other end of said arm and said stationary bracket to normally urge the door-engaging end of said arm to a position above said first named means, a second arm having one end pivoted to said iirst arm between the points of pivoting of the latter to said stationary mounting and said door, respectively, the opposite end of said second arm adapted to be slidably and pivotally connected to the door, and means carried by said stationary mounting to guide said second arm during relative pivotal movement between said arms.

2. In an overhead door supporting mechanism for attachment to a door frame, a stationary mounting, an arm, means to pivot said arm intermediate its ends to said mounting, means to pivot one end of said arm to the lower portion of the door, a stationary bracket located below the level of said stationary mounting, resilient means interposed between the other end of` said arm and said stationary bracket to normally urge the door-engaging end of said arm to a position above said first-named means, a second arm having one end pivoted to said iirst arm between the points of pivoting of the latter to said stationary mounting and said door, respectively, the opposite end of said second arm adapted to be slidably and pivotally connected to the door, and an arcuate guide adapted to be secured to the door frame and slidably enV gaged with a section of said second arm to guide the latter throughout the range of movement of said first arm on its pivot means.

3. In an overhead door supporting mechanism, a stationary mounting, an arm, means to pivot said arm in termediate its ends to said mounting, means to pivot one end of said arm to the lower portion of the door, a stationary bracket located below the level of said stationary mounting, resilient means interposed between the other end of said arm and said stationary bracket tl normally urge the door-engaging end of said arm to a position above said first-named means, a second arm having one end pivoted to said first arm between the points of pivoting of the latter to said stationary mounting and said door, respectively, the opposite end of said second arm adapted to be slidably and pivotally connected to the upper portion of said door, a stationary guide mounting, an arcuate guide carried by said mounting, means connected to said second arm intermediate the ends of the latter slidably engaged with said guide whereby the latter is effective to direct the movement of said second arm and the portion of the door to which it is connected coincident with the movement of said first-named arm on its pivot.

4. In an overhead door supporting mechanism, a pair of arms pivotally connected to one another and adapted to be pivotally connected to upper and lower portions, respectively, of the door, so as to form, with the door, a triangle, an extension of one of said arms projecting outside of the triangle formed by said arms and door, a stationary mounting, and means to pivot said extension to said stationary mounting, and a guide secured rigidly to said mounting, means carried by the other of said arms, intermediate the ends of the latter, slidably engageable with said guide, whereby said guide compels the collapse of the triangle incident to pivotal movement in one direction of said extension about said stationary mounting and means comprising a guide element adapted to be carried by the door to slidably accommodate the pivotal connection between one of said arms and the door.

5. In an overhead door supported mechanism, a stationary mounting, a principal arm pivoted to said stationary mounting, means to pivotally connect one end of said arm to the lower part of the door, a second arm pivoted to said principal arm, means to slidably and pivotally connect said second arm to the door, and means carried by said mounting to pivotally and slidably engage said second arm to guide the movement of the latter during pivotal movement of said principal arm about its pivot.

6. In an overhead door supporting mechanism, a stationary mounting, an arm pivotally connected to said mounting and adapted to be pivotally connected to the lower part of the door, supporting and guiding mechanism for the opposite upper end of the door comprising a second arm, means pivoting one end of said second arm to said irst arm intermediate the first-named pivot means and the end thereof adapted to be pivotally connected to said door, a guide adapted to be connected to said door, means to pivotally and slidably coniine the other end of said second arm in said giude, a stationary guide, means carried by said second arm between the ends of the latter slideably engaging said stationary guide, said stationary guide extending arcuately downward in a vertical plane, the radius of' the arc of said last-named guide progressively decreasing from its upper end to its lower end.

7. ln an overhead door supporting mechanism, a stationary mounting, a principal arm pivoted to said sta tionary mounting, means to pivotally connect one end of said arm to the lower part of the door, a second arm pivoted to said principal arm, one end of said second arm adapted to engage said door at a point spaced from said first-named means, and means carried by said stationary mounting to pivotally and slidably engage said second arm to guide the movement of the latter during pivotal movement of said principal arm about its pivot.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,244,182 Allen .Tune 3, 1941 2,259,819 Holmes Oct. 21, 1941 2,441,741 Wread May 18, 1948 

